Mattheo stormed into the Slytherin common room with the dramatics of someone deeply offended, dropping onto the green leather couch like the world had personally betrayed him. His curls were a mess from running his hands through his hair one too many times, and he exhaled hard through his nose.

“Wow,” he said, throwing his head back. “This girl really turned me down because she thinks that since she’s not short, I’m suddenly not interested. Seriously? She really thinks I’m afraid of a tall girl? Babe, I like to climb.”

Theo looked up from the armchair, eyebrows raised like he was already tired of whatever nonsense Mattheo was about to unravel. “But what if she’s the one who’s afraid of the height difference?”

Mattheo blinked at him like that was the most ridiculous idea he’d ever heard. Then his expression shifted into something dark and smug, the corner of his mouth curling.

“If she’s afraid, then I have no problem showing her she deserves to belong to a man who isn’t scared of the view from up there,” he said, voice dropping effortlessly into that dangerous whisper he used when he knew he was being inappropriate. “And she’ll learn to enjoy the height difference when I… take her down.”

From the corner of the room, Barty Crouch Jr. looked up from sharpening his wand, giving Mattheo a stare filled with judgment. “Riddle. Seriously?”

Mattheo spread his arms across the back of the sofa like a king on a throne, not even close to ashamed.

“I’m dead serious,” he said, all confidence and wickedness. “She can stand tall now… but by the end of the night?” He snapped his fingers with a grin that made Theo groan into his hands. “She’ll be yelling timber.”

Barty shook his head. Theo muttered something about needing new friends. Mattheo just smirked like he’d already won.